Monday, November 12, 2012

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas. . .

Well, I totally dropped the ball this week with marketing and blogging! This was our second year to do Christmas Village here in town and it is both overwhelming and extremely satisfying. I love, love, love this show and preparing for it but with the pace I keep with everything else going on in my life, I have such little time to get ready. Because it is local I had the luxury of coming home every night and creating new things to fill up space the next day. After 4 days of this I am completely exhausted. But. . . we had a great show and I met some wonderful people who loved our stuff and the opportunity to buy handmade and vintage - 2 things that are not widely available at this show (except for some wonderful jewelry). I made some jewelry too - some scarf style necklaces and sold almost all of them. Of course I have no picture. I need another "me" that is always walking around with a camera on her neck!

So here is a little overview of what has been going on in my studio (and every other available table in the house)!. . .

Old cabinet cards of children dressed up like reindeer . . .

Old cabinet cards of men dressed up like Santas. . .

Little nut cup ornaments filled with old paper shred, mini bingos (from the packaging card) and school girls dressed up like reindeer (I was a little obsessed). . . Oh - and check out the Chalkboard Easel landscape behind them. I lined the booth with these. . .

Little glitter trees to use in snow globes. I bleached them then added the glass glitter with watered down Elmer's glue (some of which I tinted with my Stick Candy Ranger Ink). . .

And the snow globes . . . I had such great fun making these! I have literally hoarded over 100 ironstone butter pats for 2 years waiting for the perfect project. Of course for the larger ones I had to use full size plates. I sold everything you see here and next - I made more each night and came home with 6 total I think. I will be making more and offering a few on the website and in my local antique booths. It's funny because I got my new Souvenir on-line magazine today and my new Martha Stewart Living and they both highlighted globes of some sort so I'm glad to see I'm on the right track! I am very particular about what I use inside and having it all be vintage (if not the trees) so it has been had to find enough materials. I love the hunt though and this just gives me more reasons to shop!

And lastly, every year I make little arrangements in old Santa cups, boots and whatever else I can find. . . I cut the Bingos here out of the larger packaging card (now you know why I print that card on the same stock as the product)!

Feeling inspired?!?!? Well the 15th is coming and that means our annual JBS Mercantile Christmas Open House! I am working on several crafting kits (one of which will be a photo embellishment set complete with antlers and noses) and so much more. We will have Flea Market introductions galore - all with a holiday theme so you can get ready to deck the halls and gift give! Be sure to check back here on Wednesday as I will post all of the previews then (BEFORE the newsletter hits inboxes).